Log splitters

[Turtle]

Looking at buying a log splitter for some old oak I have. Would like opinions on the different types. I was kind of leaning to the ones that are three point mounted. I have a set of remote hydraulics that I can utilize. Are they worth the money? I won’t be making a career out of this just personal use. I looked in the harbor Freight catalog and they seem reasonable in price but not sure on quality. Any advice appreciated. And no I can't get the wife to do it for me.

 

[Anonymous-0]

Probably the wrong time of the year and the wrong answer but renting one for the day and seeing what you like and don't like may be the best way to go.

Mine is home made. Horizontal only with a tray to rest the log on. So I'm not bending over repeatedly.
Has a 6" cylidner,24" stroke ,16+ GPM pump, 12hp engine electric start.

I put the logs in the front loader park the tractor near the splitter role the logs from the front loader onto the splitter tray. Park the truck on the other side and throw the firewood from the tray into the back of the truck. If winter comes this year I'll burn between 3 and 5 cords. Last year I started burning in January normally its end of October.
If you have the GPM off the auxiliary hydraulics that sound like a good idea.
Off my skid steer its 20+GPM but I'd go deaf. Off my yard tractors its about 11GPM.

 

[markiz41]

Don't know if HF has any pto driven units, but my neighbor got a 30 ton engine driven one from them. Works OK overall, but the little things like fluid leaks, suction hose cracking and wheel hubs crumbling are inherit in HF (Central Hydraulics?) machinery

 

[djfarmer]

I run a three point splitter off of the back of my tractor. Bought from Northern Tool. I like that I don't have to fight with a seperate engine on the splitter to keep it runnng. Don't like the tractor being tied up when splitting. Also cycles kind of slow, not that big of a problem because the ram usually has returned by the time a get another log up on the splitter. The three point slippers are quite a bit cheaper.

 

[Tim B from MA]

I've never used a 3-point splitter, but I personally don't like the idea of running a 30 or 50hp motor to do the work of a 5 HP motor.

My number one recommendation - get a splitter with the wedge on the piston, NOT one with the wedge on the end of the splitter (i.e., pushes the log onto the ground). Horizontal log splitters wtih the wedge on the piston are hard to find but well worth it in the effort they save.

Personally, I would never own a vertical splitter. Bending over everytime you need to set or adjust a log is no good, and they are not set up to use comfortably when in vertical posistion.

Splitting wood is a repeatitive "production job" so the splitter needs to be set-up so you can stand next to it and set and handle the logs comfortably. The less bending over you need to do (e.g., to pick-up pieces of logs, or to hold the log because something is in your way r the splitting beam is too low) the better.

 

[Spook]

I used to rent one for a week - about 100. It had a 14 hp wisconsin engine. It would be hard to find a better one.

 

[Anonymous-0]

How about a go-devil? Cheap, get fit and get warm twice.

 

[Anonymous-0]

Don't get an auger or screw type. They are very dangerous.

 

[VaTom]

I love mine, used it for years. Dangerous for idiots. As is any PTO device that you can't turn off.

 

[Ryne]

We've got a log splitter from northern tool when it was just northern hydraulics and it has an 8 horse Tecumseh motor and does a pretty good job.
Ryne

 

[Fawteen]

I have a 3PH unit with a PTO-driven pump for my little John Deere 750. Love it. I can haul the hitch up to a comfortable height and split for hours (12 cord this year) and if I run across a biggun, I can lay the splitter right down on the ground and roll it on.

No extra engine to maintain, and the diesel in the JD doesn't even know that splitter is there.

Storage is a minor PITA, but I built a stand for it.

 

[Anonymous-0]

I have a tractor operated splitter with a PTO pump, which I built twenty five years ago. When I built it gas was a LOT cheaper, but I still like it. I used to split over fifty cords a year, but have cut back to about half that. Whatever you get, try to find one that will let you stand up straight to work. Leaning over for hours at a time is a direct ticket to the chiropractor. Another health warning: If you use a tractor operated splitter, don't put it on a tractor with an under slung exhaust. If that's the only tractor you have, cobble up some arrangement of flexible pipe to get the fumes away from the splitter, the further the better, and up in the air helps a lot.

 

[Bret4207]

I bought a returned Troy-bilt at Lowes, Honda engine model. I'm not a fan of the newer Troy-bilt items, but this things works for me. It'll split red oak 30" through, even at the crotches. On big elm it grunts, but if I can get it under the wedge it gets split. For $600.00 it was a bargain. Of course finding one at that price is the trick. BTW- this one does both horizontal and vertical. Thats a big plus for me.

 

[Anonymous-0]

Built this ol' splitter about 20yrs ago. splits about 10 cords a year. never had a problem with it.

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